Coin-operated mechanism



.(No Modell) 2 Sheets-ShamJ l. J. D. KNEEDLER.

GOIN OPERATED MBCHANISM. Iva-605,463. Patented June 28,1898.

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ArnNr JOHN DEAM KNEEDLER, OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES HENRY BALL, OF OAKLAND, NEBRASKA.'

COIN-OPERATED MEcHANlsM.

SPECIFICATION formngpart of `Letters APatent No. 606,463, dated J une 2,8, 1898.

Application ma March 29, 1897.

To all whom t may concern:

Be itknown that I, JOHN DEAM KNEEDLER, a citizen of thel United States, residing at Sioux Oity, in the county of Woodbury and State oflowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Operated Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Y

The object of this invention is to provide a coin-operated machine in which the insertion of the coin will form a connectionl between certain operatingdevers by which they may be manipulated to move a carriage one step or predetermined distance to bring a section thereof in line with the delivery-chute.

With the above object in view the invention consists in the particular construction of the operating-levers and manner of connecting the same by a coin or nickel, together with a carriage moved through the intervention of the levers when operated in unison.

The invention further consists in the particular construction of the carriage or case,

which contains the material to be delivered i a sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig..`

4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

. The mechanism of my improved coin-controlled apparatus is inclosed within a suitable casing, the front of which may be made up to present any particular design. This inclosing case is divided by a horizontal partition l to present an upper compartment 2, in which moves a carriage 3, preferably provided with rollers 4i in order that it may be easily moved by the mechanism hereinafter serial No. 629,703: (No moda.)

described. The carriage or case 3 is made `partments to receive the materials or objects to be delivered by the operation of the mechanism. This case is primarily located at the rear end of the chamber or compartment 2 of the cabinet, and directly in front of the same the floor or horizontal partition l is provided with a transverse slot 6, which opens into the lower part of the cabinet, the forward end of which is opened, so that the material which is deposited on the bottom 7 thereof can be readilyremoved.

The lower series of transverse wires 5 of the carriage or case which contains the material areV extended beyond the side piece b to provide projections 8, with which the coincontrolled mechanism engages.

From the under side of the floor or horizontal partition I and in front of the vertical slot 6 therein depends a hanger 9, which forms a bearing for a lever I0, the rear end of which Vis bent upward to extend through a slot Il in Vthe floor and receive a pawl l2, pivoted there to. The free end of this pawl is adapted to engage the projections 8 of the carriage and is' actuated into such engagement by a flat spring I3,attached to the said flooran d bearing Vagainst the under side of the outer end of the pawl. The head of the pawl I2 is curved, as shown, so that it will pass under or escape the projections when the said pawl is moved rearward. The forward end of the lever 12 is curved downward and enters a slot in a vertical tube 14, whichforms the coin-chute, and adjoining this end the lever has attached thereto a helical spring l5, rigidly attached ssv at its other end to the floor I and operating `f to hold said lever normally in horizontal position, as indicated in Fig. 2.` 'lhe coin-chute extends from the inlet-opening c thereof down ward through the compartment 2 ofthe cabinet to .position the lower end thereof on a line with the lever IO, hereinbefore described, the direction which thel coin-chute takes be ing indicated in dotted lines in Fig. I.

Pivoted within the front board ofthe cabinet is a second lever 16, the inner end of which is curved to correspond with the adjoining end of the lever I() and lies partially within the lower end of the coin-chute, the said inner end being normally depressed by a flat spring -17 bearing upon the upper edge of the same. The outer end of the lever 16 projects beyond the front of the cabinet and is formed into a grasping portion or knob 18.

From the foregoing description,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of my improved coin controlled apparatus will be readily apparent, for when a nickel is deposited into the coin-chute 14 it will fall and Wedge itself between the adjoining curved ends of the levers 10 and 16 to so connect said levers that a depression of the outer end or knob 18 of the lever 16 will cause a rocking movement of the lever 10, and said movement will draw the pawl forward, and this will pull the carriage 3 forward a certain distance or sufiicient to bring the material located in front of the iirst wires of the several series on a line with the discharge-opening 6, through which said material will fall to the bottom 7. After this operation the lever 16 is released, which will permit the coin to drop into the drawer or receptacle below, and as the lever 10 assumes its normal position through the operation of the spring 15 the pawl l2 will be moved rearward to engage the next projection or wire 8, and thus be in a position to move the carriage one step forward, when the mechanism is again properly manipulated.

It will be observed that the adjacent ends of the levers 10 and 16 are bent downward and curved or rounded, so that the point or their nearest approach to each otheris below the plane of their pivots, and from said point of nearest approach the curvatures should be practically concentric with the pivots of the respective levers in order that operative connection may be maintained through the interposed coin until the carriage shall have moved forward the required distance.

In the drawings I have shown a transverse groove or pocket 19 in the rear of the delivery-opening 6 in the floor 1, and into this groove or pocket the material is moved prior to the carriage being operated to deliver the same.

This machine is designed more particularly for use in connection with hotels or other public places, and the spaces between the crosswires are adapted to each receive a package containing paper and envelop and a stamp.

It will be understood, of course, that the machine or device could be adapted to receive other articles, the delivery-openings 6 and space between the cross-wires 5 being made larger or smaller to correspond.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination with a cabinet having a door with a transverse opening therein, a carriage movable over said transverse opening and provided with a series of vertical spaces or compartments, togetherwith levers operating the carriage through the intervention of a coin, one of the levers being spring-actuated and having a pawl to engage a series of projections on the carriage corresponding in number with the spaces or compartments therein, substantially as shown and set forth.

2. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination with a cabinet having a iioor with a transverse opening 6, of a carriage movable upon the lioor over said transverse opening and provided with a series of vertical spaces or compartments, lugs or projections extending from said carriage, and levers adapted to operate or move the carriage when a coin is interposed `between the adjoining ends of the same, one of the levers having a pawl which engages the projections of said carriage, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination with a cabinet having a floor with a transverse opening, of a carriage or case movable on said iioor over the transverse opening and provided with projections, a lever pivoted within the cabinet and provided with a pawl in engagement with said projecv tions, a second lever having its inner end adjoining the end of the aforesaid lever, and a tube or coin-chute leading to the space between the adjoining ends of the levers, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination with the licor having a transverse opening therein, of a carriage movable upon the floor over said transverse opening and IOO provided with a series of vertical spaces or a transverse opening therein, of a` carriage located upon the iioor and having a series of vertical spaces or compartments and projections corresponding in number therewith, a le- Y ver 10 centrally fulcrumed and provided with a pawl, spring-actuated to engage the proj ections on the carriage, a spring for lifting the forward end of said lever, a second lever pivoted in the cabinet and having a spring for v In testimony whereof I have signed this depressing the inner end thereof, the adjoinspecification in the presence of twosubscribing ends of the said levers being curved as ing Witnesses. l

shown, and a coin chute or tube leading to Y JOHN DEAM KNEEDLER. the space between the adjoining ends of the Witnesses:

levers, substantially as shown and for the CHARLES A. KNEEDLER,

purpose set forth. CORA G. WHEELOCK. t 

